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TOWNSEND HAS NEW APBL RECORD HIT STREAK
SINGLE IN 2ND AGAINST FLOUR CITY GAVE ST. JOHN’S STAR 43-GAME STREAK

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (July 16, 1879) - St. John’s and Flour City played the second game of their series at Olneyville Field on Wednesday afternoon, with the hosts winning 10-2 thanks to an eight-run rally during the bottom of the fourth inning that featured a three-run Home Run over the Left Field fence by Greenhorn C Joseph Nalley.

That wasn’t the big news of the game, however.

What everyone was watching was the #4 batsman in the St. John’s order: Nelson Townsend. He entered the game with a 42-game Hitting Streak that was even with Anthony Mascerhino’s in 1875 for the longest in A.P.B.L. history. Townsend had his first chance at history in B2, and on his second swing his a Single between the Flour City 1B & 2B, giving Townsend the new longest Hitting Streak in A.P.B.L. history at 43 games.

Townsend wasn’t done, as he would bat 4/4 on the afternoon:

• B2: Leadoff Single past 2B off L. Hastie
• B4: Leadoff Single past 2B off L. Hastie (SB, R)
• B4: 2-run Double past 1B off L. Hastie (R)
• B7: Single past SS off L. Hastie (R)
• TOTAL: 4/4 (2B), 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 5 TB

So, Townsend not only set a new A.P.B.L. record on Wednesday, but he also raised his Batting Average to .382 with an A.P.B.L.-leading .975 OPS. Townsend is now having his best year since his historic run during the inaugural season of the A.P.B.L. (.404, 1.076 OPS, 118 R, 88 RBI, 52 SB) that saw him finish with 7.0 WAR, an all-leagues record that still stands.

Now that Townsend has his record, it’s just a matter of seeing how much longer his Hitting Streak will last.